I do some research online and learn that a one-way bus fare on Malta is €1.50. There's a fare card that allows unlimited daytime transportation for 7 days which costs €21 per person; that sounds like the way to go....until we meet a vendor on the street. He tells us that it isn't advertised, but there is a 12- ride fare card which does not have a time limit and the two of us can use one card. So, we purchased a 12 ride ticket when we walked by the local bus station.
Today (Friday) the weather forecast is favorable, sunny with a high of 27C (62F). There's no time like the present to try out our new pass and our primary source of transportation while on Malta, the public busses. Valletta is our target. Google maps tells us to catch the #42 bus at a bus stop a 10 minute walk from our flat and it will take 1 hour 5 minutes with 40 potential stops until we reach Valletta. We wait at the stop perhaps 5 minutes until the bus arrives. As we board a wave of heat and smell of body odor hits me. Although it is 60F outside, sunny and the bus is more than half full, the heat is on and it is blasting. Oh, I forget - when you are used to temperatures of 28-30C (83-90F) eight months of the year this is cold! Some of the citizens are even dressed in puffy jackets.
The temperature on the bus moderates a bit as people come and go. The ride takes us through Mosta and some smaller towns before we arrive at the Valletta bus station - right inside the gate to the city and the main tourist area.
Our return travel is rather simple once we figure out where to find our bus in the large Valletta bus station. The heat is still pouring out of the baseboards, but there are no strong odors on this bus. ☺️
Overall the experience was fine for us as travelers. It was a good value, especially considering at this point we do not have a job to run to or young family demanding our time. We will be using the busses for more of our explorations!
Today (Friday) the weather forecast is favorable, sunny with a high of 27C (62F). There's no time like the present to try out our new pass and our primary source of transportation while on Malta, the public busses. Valletta is our target. Google maps tells us to catch the #42 bus at a bus stop a 10 minute walk from our flat and it will take 1 hour 5 minutes with 40 potential stops until we reach Valletta. We wait at the stop perhaps 5 minutes until the bus arrives. As we board a wave of heat and smell of body odor hits me. Although it is 60F outside, sunny and the bus is more than half full, the heat is on and it is blasting. Oh, I forget - when you are used to temperatures of 28-30C (83-90F) eight months of the year this is cold! Some of the citizens are even dressed in puffy jackets.
The temperature on the bus moderates a bit as people come and go. The ride takes us through Mosta and some smaller towns before we arrive at the Valletta bus station - right inside the gate to the city and the main tourist area.
Our return travel is rather simple once we figure out where to find our bus in the large Valletta bus station. The heat is still pouring out of the baseboards, but there are no strong odors on this bus. ☺️
Overall the experience was fine for us as travelers. It was a good value, especially considering at this point we do not have a job to run to or young family demanding our time. We will be using the busses for more of our explorations!
RSS Feed